O iter fortissimum: SSAATTBB Choral Score

James Burton grounds this piece in genuine liturgical tradition while creating something distinctly contemporary. The architecture is elegant: two SATB choirs working antiphonally allow for transparent writing and dramatic spatial possibilities, yet the pedagogical conceit in the third section (where one choir leads and the other follows a bar behind) transforms the form into something that teaches both singers and listeners about learning itself. It's the kind of piece that justifies the effort of dividing your choir.

The piece unfolds with contemplative dignity, drawing on the luminous quality of Hildegard of Bingen's original sequence. Antiphonal exchanges create moments of radiance as one choir answers another, while the canonic section in part three generates a sense of discovery and mutual understanding. The harmonic language, grounded in D flat major, feels both ancient and immediate.

This score works for advanced high school choirs and university choirs with strong reading skills and the ability to balance divided writing. Directors who have sung or heard Harris's Faire is the Heaven will find resonances that make learning easier; those unfamiliar with that touchstone will still benefit from the careful harmonic language and clear structural intentions.

• Rehearse the two choirs separately first to establish their distinct characters in the opening sections before bringing them together for antiphonal work.
• Pay close attention to the enharmonic shifts at structural moments; these are harmonic turning points that signal architectural change, not accidents of notation.
• In the third section, the 'student' choir should sound initially tentative and gradually gain assurance as it grasps the ideas from the 'teacher' choir. This dramatic arc needs intention from both groups.
• The home key of D flat major sits warmly for most voices; use this to encourage singers to trust the sonority rather than second-guess it.

Program this as the centerpiece of a liturgical or sacred concert, where it can stand alongside other settings of medieval or contemporary sacred texts. Its length and formal completeness allow it to anchor a service of evening prayer or a concert devoted to music in memory or tribute. The piece's connection to Oxford's choral tradition makes it especially fitting for cathedral or collegiate settings.

• Reading divided SSAATTBB voicing across two choirs
• Balancing antiphonal exchanges with clear articulation and forward motion
• Sustaining ensemble intonation in chromatic and enharmonic contexts
• Interpreting canonic texture as both musical and expressive device
• Understanding medieval sequence form and its harmonic possibilities